What are the best places for stargazing in the United States?

Answers

The best places are places with very little light pollution. Flagstaff, Arizona is the first dark sky city. It is the home of Lowell Observatory. You can also try stargazing at national parks. I have found that as long as you can drive a decent distance outside of the city, and get away from the light pollution, pretty much any place is a good place for stargazing. It also helps if the place isn’t windy, or near dangerous wildlife.

Some of the best stargazing destinations in the US are Lake Tahoe, Bryce Canyon, Pennsylvania’s Lehigh River, Chaco Culture National Historic Park, and Carlsbad Caverns National Park. It is estimated that in about 15 years there will be no “truly dark” areas left in the U.S. and stargazing will never be the same! 🙁

Folks at the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) probably have the best ideas about this. They say, due to light pollution, which can have a negative effect on humans and animals, a truly dark sky is very rare these days. However, finding one is well worth the effort. The best bets in the U.S., according to several sources, are our National Parks. Only two parks, however, have garnered IDA’s highest rating: Utah’s National Bridges National Monument and Pennsylvania’s Cherry Springs State Park. Along with a smorgasboard of stars, both locations offer views of the Milky Way Galaxy.